Protest against inflated power bills planned in Maharashtra on Monday

MUMBAI: Consumer activists announced a state-wide protest against ‘inflated’ bills on July 13 in 20 districts, apart from Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai. The hefty bills issue has been raging across power utility firms which cater to more than three crore consumers.
“Our primary demand will be to waive off bills for those whose average monthly consumption has been up to 300 units,” said activist Pratap Hogade.He said 94% consumers, who are in this slab, have been inconvenienced. “They were compelled to stay at home during lockdown, which is why they used more electricity. The state government should provide a subsidy or waive bills for low-end consumers,” he said.
Sources said consumers using 0-300 units comprise nearly two crores and their bills come up to nearly Rs 3,700 crore. The activists appealed to political organisations to join the stir.
Although many complaints have been received, MSEDCL, BEST, Adani and Tata Power said they had “not come across a single case” of bills being wrong.
Meanwhile, a Bombay HC bench of Justices Amjad Sayed and M S Karnik on Tuesday recused itself from hearing two PILs against high bills. The hearing was adjourned to July 14. This is a second recusal by two benches since last week.
A PIL by Sangli resident M D Shaikh and a PIL by Mumbai businessman Ravindra Desai will be placed before another bench, where Justice Karnik is not presiding, said the bench.